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Uncovering biases in disciplinary actions: Evidence from German soccer

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  • Marco Henriques Pereira

    (University of Zurich)

Abstract

While the disciplinary actions of referees towards home and away teams in soccer have been extensively analyzed, only a few studies focus on how individual player characteristics may influence these decisions. This study examines the impact of player characteristics on the likelihood of receiving yellow and red cards in professional soccer. Using a comprehensive dataset from the German Football Bundesliga from 2011 to 2018, I employ fixed-effects regressions to explore these relationships. I find that a player's distance covered, height, nationality, playing time, and position impact the likelihood of receiving disciplinary action. The results have implications for future research and yield practical implications for all stakeholders in the sports ecosystem.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Henriques Pereira, 2024. "Uncovering biases in disciplinary actions: Evidence from German soccer," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 44(3), pages 1049-1054.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-24-00176
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    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2024/Volume44/EB-24-V44-I3-P82.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bundesliga; football; player characteristics; disciplinary action; soccer;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J7 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination
    • L8 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services

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